Unit 1 Differences Between Cultures

Thinking Ahead

Students are asked to discuss the following questions in groups. The reference answers for the questions are offered below:

1. How do you think about the word ―culture‖?

Culture is a word for people‘s ―way of life‖, meaning the way they do things.

文化是一个词对人们的―生活方式‖,这意味着他们做事情的方式。

A group ofpeople has a separate culture when that group sets itself apart from others through its actions.

一群人有一个单独的文化当集团通过其行动使自己有别于他人。

Cultures are what make countries unique. Each country has different cultural activities and cultural rituals. Culture is more than just material goods, that is things the culture uses and produces. Culture is also the beliefs and values of the people in that culture. Culture also includes the way people think about and understand the world and their own lives.

文化使国家独一无二的。每个国家有不同的文化活动和文化仪式。文化不仅仅是物质,是东西文化的使用和产生。文化也是人民的信仰和价值观的文化。文化还包括人们思考和理解世界的方式和自己的生活。

2. Why should we study cross-cultural communication?

Cross-cultural communication refers to the study of successful communications across different cultures. It concerns the understanding of tradition and modernization, consistency and change. As we understand some of the ongoing national characteristics of a people, we can examine how this culture is seen from the outside, how it interacts with other cultures and how it is changing.

研究成功的跨文化交际是指不同文化之间的通信。这问题的理解传统和现代化、一致性和改变。我们理解一些正在进行的民族特色的人,我们可以检查这个文化是如何从外面看到,如何与其他文化,以及它是如何变化的

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The increase in international business and in foreign investment has created a need for executives with knowledge of foreign languages and skills in cross-cultural communication.

国际贸易和海外投资的增加产生了需要的外语知识和技能的高管们的跨文化交际。

The challenge is that even with all the good will in the world, miscommunication is likely to happen, especially when there are significant cultural differences between communicators. Miscommunication may lead to conflict, or aggravate conflict that already exists. So it is very important that we should study cross-cultural communication.

面临的挑战是,即使世界上所有的善意,误解可能会发生,特别是当传播者之间存在着显著的文化差异。误解可能会导致冲突,或加剧冲突已经存在。所以它是非常重要的,我们应该学习跨文化交际。

(From http://www.tzsy.cn/english/news/culture/200805/13-86570.html)

Part I VideoTime

In this part, students will have 2 tasks to accomplish.

Task 1

In task 1, students will watch a video clip from Gua Sha and then do the exercises as required. Before watching, students are supposed to read the words, expressions and cultural notes related to the video.

Transcript

Mrs.Xu: How come it doesn‘t look like the courtroom on TV? 为什么它看起来并不像电视上法庭？

Judge: Because it isn‘t a courtroom, Mrs. Xu. Does either of the counselor have problem with my holding hearings in chambers?To tell you the truth, because I can‘t stand that awful echo in the courtroom, you know, winds in the gallery.

法官：因为它不是一个法庭，徐太太。咨询师对于我在内廷举行听证会有问题吗？说句实话，因为我无法忍受的是可怕的回声在法庭上，你也知道，风在画廊。

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(People were chuckling.)

Lawyer Quinlin: No problem, your honor. John Quinlin, attorney for the defense.

律师昆林：没问题，你的荣誉。约翰·昆兰，律师辩护。

Judge Horowizs: Why that I‘ve never seen you around before, Mr. Quinlin?

法官霍洛维茨：为什么，我从来没有见过你，昆林先生？

LawyerQuinlin: I‘ve never had the honor, your honor. Er, I deal mostly with the intellectual property rights cases.

律师昆林：我从来没有过的荣誉，你的荣誉。呃，我处理大多与知识产权案件。

Judge:Apples and oranges（风马牛不相及）, Mr Quinlin; The two areas of law have virtually nothing to do with each other. 法官：苹果和桔子（风马牛不相及），昆兰先生;法律的这两个区域几乎与彼此无关。。

Lawyer Quinlin: Well, yes, of course. So I told my client. But he insisted on my representing him. Also I‘d like to have the record show that my client only had two days‘ notice of this hearing; also for me only 24 hours‘ preparation time.

律师昆林：嗯，是的，当然。所以我告诉我的客户。但他坚持要我代表他。此外，我想有记录显示，我的当事人只有本次听证会的两天通知;还对我来说只有24小时的准备时间。 Judge: I think we are putting the cart before the horse（本末倒置）, your counselor. This hearing is for the purpose of determining whether there is sufficient evidence to advance court proceedings, so take off your lawyer caps. And before we get caught to these formalities, let‘s just talk about the matter. Will the Child Welfare Agency care to start?

法官：我认为，我们把本末倒置（本末倒置），你的顾问。这次听证会的目的是确定是否有足够的证据来推进法院诉讼的目的，所以脱掉你的律师帽。我们抓到这些手续之前，让我们只是谈论此事。从儿童福利机构看护开始？

Lawyer Davis: Yes, your honor. We are prepared to proceed in any way you save it. Three days ago, we received a telephone call from the social worker on duty at St. Matthew hospital informing us of a possible case of child abuse discovered as a result of medical examination by Doctor Michael Longman. Upon administrating treatment in the ER to Denis Xu, Doctor

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Longman had reason to suspect that Denis had been the subject of physical abuse.

律师戴维斯：是的，你的荣誉。我们准备继续以任何方式将其保存。三天前，我们收到了来自社会工作者值班圣马太医院的电话，马太福音医院告知我们可能虐待儿童的发现结果由体检医生迈克尔·朗文提供。一旦在ER丹尼斯徐行政的治疗，医生朗文有理由怀疑，丹尼斯一直身体虐待的对象。

Judge: I‘ve read the report, Ms. Avery. Very thorough as usual. 法官：我读过报告，艾弗里女士。非常透彻和往常一样。

Lawyer Davis: As you can see, the medical report indisputably proves that Denis Xu has been a subject of deliberate, long-term neglect and abuse.

律师戴维斯：正如你所看到的，在体检报告无可争议地证明了丹尼斯·许已经深思熟虑，长期忽视和虐待。

Lawyer Quinlin: Objection! No foundation, just conjecture and speculation!

律师昆林：反对！没有基础，只是猜想和猜测！

Judge: This is a hearing, not a trial, Mr. Quinlin, but you make a fine point.

法官：这是一个听证会，不是试用，昆林先生，但你成为一个好一点。

Lawyer Davis: In order to supplement the medical report, you will know that we provided additional evidence. (Lawyer Davis opened a suitcase.)

律师戴维斯：为了补充医疗报告，你就会知道，我们提供了更多的证据。（律师戴维斯开了一个手提箱。）

Lawyer Quinlin: Your honor, we haven‘t received any copies of evidence or report related to this case.

律师昆林：你的荣誉，我们还没有收到的证据或报告涉及本案件的任何副本。

Margaret Avery (murmuring): I thought you provided them with copies. 玛格丽特·埃弗里（淙淙）：我还以为你为他们提供副本。 Lawyer Davis: En. Sorry, your honor, no recite.

律师戴维斯：恩。对不起，你的荣誉，没有背诵。

Margaret Avery: I don‘t know how this could have happened. 玛格丽特·艾弗里：我不知道这到底是怎么发生的。

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